1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel non-single crystalline material and in particular to non-single crystalline materials containing Ir, Ta and Al as essential components. The present invention provides materials which excel in all-around strength characteristics including chemical stability, electrochemical stability, resistance to oxidation, solvent resistance, heat resistance, thermal shock resistance, mechanical durability, and adhesion, etc. The present invention relates also to a novel member comprising the non-single crystalline material and a substrate. The non-single crystalline material and member provided according to the present invention can be used effectively in various applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known inorganic material (called a non-single crystalline alloy or a non-single crystalline metallic) is generally prepared by solidifying a molten blend containing component elements of predetermined amounts in admixture by cooling at an appropriate cooling rate. Frequently, the blend is also molded. The inorganic material is also sometimes prepared by uniformly mixing powdery component elements and subjecting the resultant to pressure sintering at the appropriate temperature. Further, an amorphous solid may be prepared by a quenching method in which a molten metal is quench-solidified by dropping the molten metal onto a metal plate that is maintained at a predetermined temperature while properly controlling the surrounding temperature so as to provide a high cooling rate as a whole and an aggregate may be prepared by a vacuum evaporation method in which heat-evaporated component elements are deposited on a substrate in a vacuum containment vessel.
Thus, a variety of non-single crystalline alloys can be prepared by various methods for use in various applications. These non-single crystalline alloys may be molded in ribbons, fine filaments, powders, films, bulk solids or various other forms depending upon their application.
As a specific example of the above non-single crystalline alloys, Japanese Laid-Open No. 96971/1984 discloses a Ta-Al alloy usable as a material to constitute the heat generating resistor of a liquid jet recording device. This Ta-AI alloy is worthy of attention since it may be easily prepared, may easily assume an amorphous state, has a high melting point and provides good mechanical characteristics at elevated temperature. However, the Ta-Al alloy does not satisfactorily fulfill the conditions required more recently, especially with respect to resistance against chemical and electrochemical reaction.
In recent devices, constituent members are respectively made of certain materials for use in severe environmental conditions such as repeated exposure to chemical or electrochemical reactions, strong impacts, and the like. Thus, it is required that such constituent members are resistant against such severe environmental conditions by exhibiting sufficient all-around strength characteristics including chemical stability, electrochemical stability, resistance to oxidation, solvent resistance, heat resistance, thermal shock resistance, abrasion resistance, mechanical durability, etc. Further, if the device is to be used under elevated temperature, it is required that the constituent member have a high heat resistance. Indeed, the high temperature condition exacerbates the wear problems of the chemical and electrochemical conditions and the conditions relating to mechanical strength. Because of this, it is required that the constituent member have further improved levels of all-around strength characteristics.
In addition, if the material constituting the member is to be exposed to varied temperatures of an extreme ranging from elevated to lowered temperatures for very short period of time, the foregoing complications become significant. Further, in order to protect the main body of an appliance or component, a surface thereof is applied with a material film. In this instance, it is required that the coated film have not only the foregoing all-around strength characteristics, but also exhibit a high adhesion to the main body or substrate.
Known inorganic materials do not fulfill the foregoing requirements.
In view of the above, there is an increased demand in the art for a material which sufficiently satisfies characteristics such as chemical stability, electrochemical stability, resistance to oxidation, solvent resistance, heat resistance, thermal shock resistance, abrasion resistance, mechanical durability, etc., with little noticeable variation and which has a long lifetime and can be easily prepared.